Five years ago today, the Pella softball team continued a stunning run as heavy underdogs heading into the 2015 state tournament — their first and only appearance in the final eight in Class 4A.

After moving past Knoxville, upsetting No. 2 ranked Indianola and dominating Marion in the run up to the quarterfinals, the Lady Dutch would encounter their biggest challenge to date on July 20th, 2015 — taking on No. 6 ranked Fort Dodge at the Roger Sports Complex in their hometown.

After holding serve back and forth between the two-seeded Dodgers, the Lady Dutch would fall behind 2-0 in the top of the 4th — both runs that were unearned.

Pella would not go quietly, however — after a few more scoreless frames, Pella pulled off a two-run bottom of the 6th to tie it with RBI hits by Lydia Dingeman and Kennedy Landgrebe.

Elyse Sadler would quickly retire the first two hitters in the top of the 7th, only for a hit and an error to move the go ahead run into scoring position — but the Pella defense got the third out they needed to avoid having to come back.

And in the bottom half of the frame, it was the freshman Landgrebe who would add to her already extensive 2015 postseason heroics, and give Pella High School their first and only win to date at the state softball tournament.

Sadler dominated the Dodgers lineup from the center circle, completing seven innings and giving up just three hits and striking out four.

Pella would go on to fall to eventual state-champion Dallas Center-Grimes — who would clinch their 3rd title in a row, and later Creston in the consolation game to finish 4th place in Class 4A.

FULL HIGHLIGHTS vs. FORT DODGE:
POSTGAME INTERVIEW WITH LANDGREBE: